Supreme Court CLAIM FOR DAMAGES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30093, 29 March 1963, Page 6

Supreme Court CLAIM FOR DAMAGES

Settlement Reached A settlement “on a proper and reasonable basis to the satisfaction of aU parties’* was announced in ■ the Supreme Court yesterday in the case in which Frederick Sydney Richard Bennett, a factory foreman, of Lower Hutt, had claimed £2500 general damages and £l5B 19s lOd special damages against Vibrapac Blocks, Ltd., and the Cable-Price Corporation, Ltd.

Bennett claimed the damages for head injuries suffered in an accident at the Hornby factory of Vibrapac Stocks on June 2, 1959, when the wire rope of a hoist, part of a block-making machine he was operating, broke and caused the off-bearer unit of the machine, weighing about 5001 b, to strike him on the bead. The wire rope had been supplied by the CablePrice Corporation. In announcing the settlement, Mr P. G. S. Penlington, counsel for Bennett, said that there were three grounds for such—certain likely legal complications between the two defendants, the possible length of the trial, and the recognition of both defendants of the justification of the plaintiff’s claim. Before discharging the jury, Mr Justice Wilson complimented counsel for the parties on settlement in what had promised to be “a difficult, complicated, and lengthy trial.” His Honour then adjourned the action sine die.